Archive of films Visitor / The Visitor

USA
2007, 103 min

Section: Horizons
Year: 2008

Not every visitor is a welcome one, but Walter’s rendezvous with a pair of immigrants just might open the unresponsive teacher’s eyes. Sometimes it’s enough just to tune in to the rhythm of someone who initially doesn’t appeal to us. The second film by actor Tom McCarthy (Syriana, Flags of Our Fathers) whose debut The Station Agent (KVIFF 2006) won the Audience Award at Sundance.

Synopsis

Walter gives the impression of being an incompetent teacher: he’s been teaching a single course for years, he dismisses his students with indifference and prepares his teaching materials simply by changing the dates on his handouts. But life is too complex for such a curt condemnation, as not only audiences will realise in their appraisal of the seemingly apathetic Walter, but also the protagonist himself when a relationship develops between Walter and the two illegal immigrants he finds in his New York flat. As Walter learns of their motivations and ambitions he discovers that an immigrant is more than a mere government statistic. Who deserves to become a citizen of the Land of Opportunity? In the seclusive world post-9/11, who is the visitor and who is the host, in fact? The things we read about in the news look different when we are personally involved in them. And that is exactly what The Visitor explores through its dramatic tale of a most unlikely meeting and a friendship which is all the more sincere.

About the director

Tom McCarthy (b. 1969, New Jersey, USA) is an American actor who has performed in a number of serials (Boston Public, The Wire) and films as well, such as Good Night, and Good Luck (2005), Syriana (2005) and Flags of Our Fathers (2006). He debuted as a director and screenwriter with the film The Station Agent (2003) which premiered at the Sundance Festival and won the Audience Award. Among others, the film also won the BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay and received the John Cassavetes Award at the Independent Spirit Awards. In 2006 it was also screened at the KVIFF in the section “Sundance at Karlovy Vary”. The Visitor is McCarthy’s second film.

Contacts

K5 International UK
18 Sherwoods Road, WD19 4AZ, Watford
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 192 333 3597
Fax: +44 709 223 4138
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.k5international.com

K5 International
Konradinstrasse 5, 815 43, München
Germany
Tel: +49 893 750 5590
Fax: +49 893 750 559 05
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.k5international.com

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About the film

Color, 35 mm

Section:	Horizons

Director:	Tom McCarthy
Screenplay:	Tom McCarthy
Dir. of Photography:	Oliver Bokelberg
Music:	Jan A. P. Kaczmarek
Editor:	Tom McArdle
Producer:	Mary Jane Skalski, Michael London
Production:	Groundswell Productions, Next Wednesday Production
Cast:	Richard Jenkins, Hiam Abbass, Haaz Sleiman, Danai Gurira
Contact:	K5 International UK, K5 International

www:	www.thevisitorfilm.com

Guests

Bill Stephens

Sales Agent

Tom McCarthy

Film Director, Film Director